If any Championship match should have been avoided by those of a nervous disposition, it was the relegation battle between Southend and Leeds

Southend, who lifted themselves out of the relegation zone with their midweek 1-0 win over Burnley, put themselves in a strong position to improve their position further when they established a 1-0 half-time lead. But Leeds snatched an equaliser two minutes from the end - a goal that put the Shrimpers back in the relegation zone. The player who had put Southend in the driving seat was Mark Gower. That goal came very much against the run of play and moments later Freddy Eastwood came agonisingly close to making it 2-0 with a shot that hit a post. Southend, though, were forced back in the second half and Leeds' increasingly desperate pressure finally paid off with a goal for David Healy.

While QPR got out of the dreaded drop zone with their 3-1 win at Leicester, Luton - the other team who had been keeping Leeds company there - lost 2-0 at home to Ipswich. Following the sacking of the Luton manager, Mike Newell, on Thursday, this match was more notable for what was happening off the field than the actual football. Newell had hit out at the Luton board for not giving him the money to strengthen the team, following the club's £9 million income from outgoing transfers, and despite a statement from them in yesterday's match programme refuting his criticism, he appeared to have the backing of a number of the fans. More than 100 of them called for the board to resign and some made threats of violence against the directors.

Birmingham, who face West Bromwich Albion today, were put under extra pressure to win as Derbyreplaced them at the top of the table through their 3-1 win over Cardiff. Birmingham were also overtaken by Sunderland, who beat Hull 2-0.

Derby seized control with a Steve Howard penalty awarded for hand ball against Steve Thompson. But Derby's joy was short-lived as the visitors restored parity soon after. Jay McEveley failed to deal with a long ball from Stephen McPhail and his sliced clearance fell invitingly into the path of the marauding Paul Parry, who coolly slotted the ball past the onrushing keeper.

Cardiff were inches away from taking the lead just a minute later as Michael Chopra sprang the offside trap to unleash a stinging half-volley from just inside the penalty area which crashed back off the crossbar. It became even harder to take for Chopra, and Cardiff, when Giles Barnes and Howard put Derby on top again.

Sunderland's breakthrough stemmed from a needless foul by Hull's David Livermore on Dean Whitehead. From the free-kick, Sunderland's 19-year-old defender Jonny Evans, who has made a big impact since joining on loan from Manchester United in January, rose highest to head the first goal of his senior career. Sunderland's other scorer was Stern John.

David Nugent, poised for an England call-up for the European Championship matches against Israel and Andorra, gave another reminder of what he might have to offer the senior national squad as Preston beat Burnley 2-0.

Nugent scored his sixteenth goal of the season against the run of play in the first half, producing a cool finish after being set up for it by Brett Ormerod's chested pass from Matt Hill's long throw. Fifteen minutes from the end, Nugent cut in with the ball from the left and provided the pass from which Patrick Agyemang scored Preston's other goal.

Preston manager Paul Simpson said: 'I'm pleased with David's performance. He had a nervy performance against Ipswich in midweek, but today he was back to his usual self. He caused them problems all the game.'